A Dying Light in Corduba
Encyclopedia
Plot introduction
Set in RomeRome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
and Imperial Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
during the spring and summer of AD 73, A Dying Light in Corduba stars Marcus Didius Falco
Marcus Didius Falco
Marcus Didius Falco is the central character and narrator in a series of novels by Lindsey Davis. Using the concepts of modern detective stories , Davis portrays the world of the Roman Empire under Vespasian...
, Informer and Imperial Agent. It is the eighth in her Falco
Marcus Didius Falco
Marcus Didius Falco is the central character and narrator in a series of novels by Lindsey Davis. Using the concepts of modern detective stories , Davis portrays the world of the Roman Empire under Vespasian...
series.
Explanation of the novel's title
The title refers to the setting of much of the action, Corduba, as well as to the olive oil which features so heavily, one use of which is for lamp oil.Plot summary
The Society of Olive Oil ProducersMonte Testaccio
Monte Testaccio is an artificial mound in Rome composed almost entirely of testae , fragments of broken amphorae dating from the time of the Roman Empire, some of which were labelled with tituli picti...
of Baetica is throwing a big dinner party in Rome, trying to drum up business for their product. Falco is invited at the request of Claudius Laeta, Vespasian
Vespasian
Vespasian , was Roman Emperor from 69 AD to 79 AD. Vespasian was the founder of the Flavian dynasty, which ruled the Empire for a quarter century. Vespasian was descended from a family of equestrians, who rose into the senatorial rank under the Emperors of the Julio-Claudian dynasty...
’s top clerk. The food, the garum
Garum
Garum, similar to liquamen, was a type of fermented fish sauce condiment that was an essential flavour in Ancient Roman cooking, the supreme condiment....
and the dancing girl make a big impression on Falco. When two guests at a dinner are assaulted, one fatally, Falco realizes that being at the dinner was just the start of another job.
The surviving victim, Anacrites, is Falco's rival and Vespasian's Chief Spy. Falco is asked to investigate the attack on Anacrites and its possible connection to an attempt to corner the market on Spanish olive oil. Trying to keep Anacrites safe, he moves him to the one place where no one will look, and if they do, they will regret it; his mother’s house.
Soon, Falco is on his way to Hispania
Hispania
Another theory holds that the name derives from Ezpanna, the Basque word for "border" or "edge", thus meaning the farthest area or place. Isidore of Sevilla considered Hispania derived from Hispalis....
to track down some of the guests and that memorable dancer. Laeta hints that someone is looking to corner the market on Hispania’s olive oil production. Suspicion immediately falls on Quinctius Attractus, the host of the festivities that fatal evening.
This is an assignment Falco does not take solo; he is bringing his very pregnant companion, Helena Justina. Helena's father Camillus Verus happens to own a small estate in Baetica, and her brother Aelianus has just returned for serving there, so he and Helena have a perfect excuse to show up. And Helena has made it very clear that Falco will be there for the birth of his child.
Falco soon discovers, among other things, Quinctius Attractus, owns one of the largest estates in the region, producing massive quantities of olive oil. He also learns that against his initial suspicions, there does not appear to be much interest in cornering any market, at least on the part of the Baeticans. This does not mean the investigation is over; there is still the assault to solve, and pesky dancer is still on the loose.
Helena becomes friendly with the daughters of two local magnates, Claudia Rufina and Aelia Annaea. Falco gets to know some of the sons, including Claudia’s brother Constans. Also appearing is Attractus’ son Quadratus, the new quaestor
Quaestor
A Quaestor was a type of public official in the "Cursus honorum" system who supervised financial affairs. In the Roman Republic a quaestor was an elected official whereas, with the autocratic government of the Roman Empire, quaestors were simply appointed....
of Baetica. That one item alone keeps Falco on guard.
While concluding the interviews of the dinner guests, Falco finally catches up with the dancer, Selia, who promptly tries to kill him with the help of her band. Before she strikes the final blow, she reveals that Laeta sent her too, not to find the killer, but to stop anyone following, a classic double cross. Now Falco knows all, or nearly all.
Falco manages to escape, but fails to catch Selia. He rushes home to see if Helena is well. Falco finds Quadratus in his house, injured in a fall from a horse, and discovers that there has indeed been a death; Rufina Constans, Claudia’s brother. He was found dead in an olive press, moving a stone that no human could move alone.
Falco suspects something, but the obvious suspect is his guest and claiming an injury. Yet Claudia is convinced it was not an accident, and she asks Falco to investigate. Seeing the site of the death, he is convinced someone else was there when Constans died. Now it is just one more thing he has to prove.
Now the chase is on. Falco goes to the Quinctius estate, and finds Selia dead and Quadratus gone. But this death is much more elegant, and soon another Dancer appears; Perella. She is working for the Chief Spy Anacrites, who was still alive when she saw him last, now with the Praetorian
Praetorian Guard
The Praetorian Guard was a force of bodyguards used by Roman Emperors. The title was already used during the Roman Republic for the guards of Roman generals, at least since the rise to prominence of the Scipio family around 275 BC...
guard, but still being nursed by Falco’s mother.
Still not trusting Perella, Falco decides to share his information with her, and they piece together the real plot.
It is not the Baeticans who want the cartel, it is Laeta, who wants to force Vespasian to take over production, pouring millions into Rome’s coffers, but causing the price of olive oil to go through the roof. Laeta had set up Falco in the hope that he will find enough to cause the Emperor to stave off the threat of anyone else controlling olive oil, and putting Laeta in charge of the new cartel. If Falco dies, instead, well, that is the cost of doing business.
Attractus and Quadratus are part of the plan because Laeta needs some legitimacy, and the Quinctii have enough influence to make it at least appear to be on the up and up. Falco also learns that Quadratus was indeed with Constans when he died. It is now time to act.
Helena is about to burst, but Falco is still fearful of local medical experts, and so he sends her east by land while he rides to catch Quadratus before he kills someone else, and then hopes to catch up.
After visiting a couple of mines in search of Quadratus, he finally catches up with him. It turns out that Laeta did not have as much control over the Quinctii as he thought, and some of the killings were Quadratus’ idea. Quadratus tries to bluff, but he knows it’s too late to recover the dream of all that control. Ignoring Falco, he descends a ladder, slips and falls to his death. Falco can only wonder how much of an accident it was.
It’s a girl. Falco makes it before the birth, Helena survives, and only breaks a couple of his fingers.
Romans
- A. Camillus Aelianus - Eldest son of Decimus Camillus Verus
- Anacrites - Imperial spy
- Calisthenus - Architect
- Cornelius - Ex-quaestor of Baetica
- Decimus Camillus Verus - Senator and father of Helena Justina
- Gn. Drusillus Placidus - Procurator
- Helena Justina - Daughter of the SenatorRoman SenateThe Senate of the Roman Republic was a political institution in the ancient Roman Republic, however, it was not an elected body, but one whose members were appointed by the consuls, and later by the censors. After a magistrate served his term in office, it usually was followed with automatic...
Decimus Camillus Verus and wife of Falco - Helva - Usher
- Julia Justa - Wife of Camillus Verus and mother of Helena
- Junilla Tacita - Mother of Falco
- L. Petronius Longus - Enquiry chief in the XIII region and friend of Falco
- Marcus Didius Falco - Informer and Imperial Agent from the Aventine.
- Momus - Slave overseer
- Perella - Dancer
- Q. Camillus Justinus - Youngest son of Decimus Camillus Verus
- Quinctius Attractus - Senator
- Stertius - Transport manager
- T. Claudius Laeta - Imperial clerk
- T. Quinctius Quadratus - Son of Quinctius Attractus
- Titus Caesar - Eldest son of the Emperor
- Valentinus - Imperial agent
- Vespasian - Emperor
Baeticans
- Aelia Annaea - Widow
- Annaeus Maximus - Landowner
- Claudia Adorata - Wife of Licinius Rufius
- Claudia Rufina - Granddaughter of Licinius Rufius
- Cyzacus Junior - Poet
- Cyzacus Senior - Bargee
- Gorax - Retired gladiator
- Licinius Rufius - Landowner
- Marius Optatus - Tenant
- Marmarides - Driver
- Norbanus - Negotiator
- Rufius Constans - Grandson of Licinius Rufius
- Selia - Dancer
Allusions/references to actual history, geography and current science
- Set in RomeRomeRome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
and Baetica in AD 73, during the reign of Emperor VespasianVespasianVespasian , was Roman Emperor from 69 AD to 79 AD. Vespasian was the founder of the Flavian dynasty, which ruled the Empire for a quarter century. Vespasian was descended from a family of equestrians, who rose into the senatorial rank under the Emperors of the Julio-Claudian dynasty...
.
Release details
- 1996, UK, Century (ISBN 0-7126-5941-2), Pub date 6 June 1996, hardback (First edition)
- 1998, USA, Mysterious Press (ISBN 0-89296-664-5), Pub date ? January 1998, hardback
- 2003, UK, Arrow, Paperback (ISBN 0-09-945199-9) (as part of single-volume omnibus edition, Falco on the Loose, with Last Act in PalmyraLast Act in PalmyraLast Act in Palmyra is a crime novel by Lindsey Davis.-Plot introduction:Set in Rome, Nabatea and Palmyra during AD 72, Last Act in Palmyra stars Marcus Didius Falco, Informer and Imperial Agent...
and Time to DepartTime to DepartTime to Depart is a crime novel by Lindsey Davis.-Plot introduction:Set in Rome during October AD 72, Time to Depart stars Marcus Didius Falco, Informer and Imperial Agent...
)